The present invention relates generally to computer image formation and more particularly to computer image shading and recreation.
A plurality of methods for image formation with regard to image color shading and recreation exist. One such method described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,446 in the names of the present applicant specifically uses a keyboard and display screen of a video camera to recreate or shade an original image using one or more pre-determined image frame parts to alter, shade or recreate such an original image so that a final composite shaded or recreated image is produced.
This method however is limited for use only in a video camera of pre-determined construction. Other methods such as that of the Adobe Photoshop software routine that use a computer method of using a computer painting brush or a computer mouse to shade an image also exists. This method though excellent uses non-compressed video data thereby creating a problem where to store the final shaded or recreated images. Since computer storage space is at a premium, especially that one for storing computer video, an improved method that uses a compressed video algorithm to shade or recreate a new composite image by color shading of a given image is therefore needed. This makes the need for use of a compression scheme to compress the final composite recreated or shaded image unnecessary. A typical situation of this nature arises for example when preparing a video clip for a web page on the world-wide web (the Internet). After choosing an original video clip, some image recreation such as shading is needed for the video clip to suit what is being advertised on the web. This may also involve video clip editing etc, etc. Such software for color image shading works better for its money in the place of very expensive hardwarexe2x80x94only based solutions.
After the image recreation is done, then image compression is needed to reduce storage space for the video clip.
A video compression scheme is therefore needed to compress the final composite recreated or shaded video clip. The method used by such methods as the Adobe photoshop software are therefore inefficient and further improvements are accordingly needed.
In the U.S. patent application titled xe2x80x9cImprovement in moving video image compression, decompression and transmissionxe2x80x9d filed on Apr. 8, 1997 in the names of the present applicant, therein is described in detail a method for generating a video image compression algorithm and then using the generated video compression data generated using said algorithm to transmit the video images using the software routine described therein.
The present invention will use video compression code generated according to the algorithm mentioned in the above application of Apr. 8, 1997 to effect color image shading and recreation.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved method for video image color shading and recreation using already compressed video data so that another video compression scheme is not needed to compress the final shaded or recreated image to fit a specific storage medium.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for computer video color image shading and recreation using a cursor and keyboard or a computer mouse.
Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent to those well versed in this art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings.